It is Better to Give
by Kitsune Heart
Summary: "Oh by gosh, by golly, it's time for mistletoe and Holly..." When Holly is standing at the exact wrong place at the exact wrong time, some...unorthodox methods may be needed to help her out. Story contains the prompt for my next hosted fic contest!


**A SELECTION from this fanfiction follows this author's note. If you wish to read the FULL fanfiction, you can find it at the author's Archive of Our Own account, linked on her profile.**

I have made the decision to cut off my fanfiction from this site due to ideological differences with site management. I believe that fan-works should be free, which means not only free monetarily, but also free of restrictions such as this site's ban on chat-fics (virtually ruining the Homestuck fandom), second-person point of view stores (it's...a POV...really), and, of course, adult materials, among other things.

I understand that this may upset some readers, but I ask that you respect my decision about how to manage my creative works. They still exist, un-altered, on another site.

I highly recommend you give AO3 a try. Joining the Archive of Own is a simple process, though it may take a few days to go through the waiting list. However, AO3 was created by fans, is FUNDED by fans (meaning it is advertisement-free), and does not restrict anything unless for valid copyright issues. It also has a robust tagging and search system, as well as a series manager, which will reduce the confusion regarding many of my works. If you are an author and would like an invitation, please message me through PM to see if I have any available.

Thank you for all your support as I entered into the world of fan-works. If you're interested in more of my fan-works, including audio productions, cosplay, and videos, please check my Tumblr, also linked on my profile.

Fan-girling with you all,

Kit

* * *

"Really, Mother, you could have just hired a company to do all of this, instead of running yourself ragged." Artemis looked at his busy mother with concern, trying to analyze her physiology for any signs of undue strain. Even years after her madness, he had worries that her weakened immune system would succumb to a sudden illness, and even deeper fears that it would be the madness taking her again. He was certain his good elf friend, Holly Short, would assist him in the latter case, but the damage it would imply within his mother's psyche was terrifying.

However, she showed no signs of stress, other than a furrow to her normally smooth brow and a little breathlessness as she descended the ladder, a hammer hanging from the hip on her jeans.

Carpenter pants. It looked...unnatural, on a Fowl. Especially when Butler was sitting not ten feet away on the living room couch, leafing through the latest issue of _Guns & Ammo_, quite tall enough to hammer in that nail above the door without even needing to step on the bottom rung. Or stretch his arms, for the matter.

Angeline, however, had insisted he remain seated, and only accepted a little help from her occasional assistant this night: Minerva Paradizo. Now that the task was done, the Frenchwoman let go of the ladder's legs, offering a hand to the descending matron, who took it graciously.

"I am not 'running myself ragged,' Arty," Angeline said, giving a nod of thanks to Minerva. "It's just a little dinner between close friends. And I'm not cooking, either. The catering company should be here any minute, and all I really need to do is finish the decorations." She reached up to pat her hair, which was falling out of its bun, and brooded over the mess. "Perhaps take a shower."

Artemis looked around the living room, his aesthetic sensibilities thoroughly violated. This was no "Winter Wonderland." It was a Yuletide slaughter. Fake snow covered every surface, and crystal snowflakes were invisibly affixed to the walls. A large, Punch-and-Judy-descended Santa doll stood in one corner, his painted, smiling face promising Artemis that he would be violating the boy in his Christmas Eve sleep (ho ho ho). Red and green fabric covered the chairs and couches, clashing horrifically. An enormous gingerbread castle overtook the antique wood coffee table, a little gingerbread man and woman sitting inside. Sitting in their house made of flesh. Eating...tiny...gingerbread men cookies.

**[END SELECTION]**

* * *

**This story, in its entirety, can be found at Kitsune Heart's AO3 account, linked in her profile.**


End file.
